Koffee Grinder works toward Stellar's Jay

VANCOUVER, B.C. – Koffee Grinder clearly is the leader of the 3-year-old open division at Hastings, and he is going to be a very short price on Aug. 4 to win the British Columbia Cup Stellar’s Jay on British Columbia Cup Day. Cup Day features six stakes races restricted to British Columbia-breds, and considering how impressive Koffee Grinder was in handling open company when he stretched out to 1 1/16 miles for the first time July 1 in the $50,000 Chris Loseth Handicap, he is going to be a handful in the restricted Stellar’s Jay.

There is one slight chink in the armor, though. According to trainer Craig MacPherson, Koffee Grinder missed five days of training due to minor soreness in his left front foot. He reportedly came back fine after his win in the Loseth, but MacPherson noticed some heat in the foot following his four-furlong breeze in 49.40 seconds on July 13.

“He wasn’t favoring it or anything like that,” MacPherson said. “But it was hot, and he wasn’t acting his usual self in his stall, so we figured there was something there. I was worried that it was a quarter crack, but the assessment is that it is a small puss pocket, and he has responded well to treatment.”

MacPherson is happy with Koffee Grinder’s progress, and he is planning on working him five furlongs this Sunday. Richard Hamel, who has been aboard for all five of Koffee Grinder’s career starts, normally would breeze him, but Hamel is serving a 30-day suspension for testing positive for marijuana. Ruzaan Choksey will be aboard for what will be Koffee Grinder’s final serious prep for the Stellar’s Jay.

MacPherson has lined up Rico Walcott to ride Koffee Grinder in the Stellar’s Jay. Walcott currently is dominating the jockey standings at Northlands Park. Through Wednesday, Walcott has won 66 races at the meet. Scott Williams is a distant second with 38.

Burningham back from injury

Once again, jockey Jeff Burningham will be coming back from an injury when he rides at Hastings for the first time this year on Saturday. Burningham started his career at Hastings in 1999, but most of the $13 million his mounts have earned from the 719 races he has won came in Louisiana.

He would have won a lot more races if not for a string of serious injuries: two broken pelvises, a broken back, and a crushed L1 vertebra when a tree he was trimming at his home fell on him in 2008.

In his latest setback, he broke five ribs and suffered a concussion when a stirrup fell off a horse he was working this spring. He has been galloping and working horses the past few weeks and was given clearance by his doctor to return to riding in races this week.

“It was the concussion that was holding me back, but I feel great now,” Burningham said. “I’ve been going to the gym three days a week and feel pretty fit. I’m not sure I want to push it right away, though, so I don’t want to ride the card yet.”

One of the horses he’s excited about riding is Instant Cash, who will be making his debut Saturday in a maiden special-weight race for 2-year-olds. A son of Quiet Cash, Instant Cash is owned and trained by Burningham’s wife, Lacie. While recovering from his injuries, Burningham has been a big help around the barn.

“I don’t mind mucking stalls,” he said. “But I would much rather be riding. Instant Cash seems like a nice 2-year-old, and we should get a good idea of where he fits after he runs Saturday.”